SAVANNAH, GA: A Toombs County, Ga., man has admitted phoning in a bomb threat to a Port of Savannah facility on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Elliott Sherman, a/k/a “Amir Turner,” 23, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to False Information and Hoaxes, said U.S. Attorney David H. Estes. The plea subjects Sherman of a possible sentence of up to five years in prison, along with restitution and substantial financial penalties, followed by up to three years of supervised release after completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Elliott Sherman’s phoned-in bomb hoax shut down two warehouses, sparked a protracted investigation, and caused a large number of fellow workers to be sent home early – just so he could get a quicker ride home,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “To make matters worse, his stunt took place on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He will pay the penalty for his ill-timed threat.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Sherman was an employee of a staffing agency and was assigned to the California Cartage CFS 2 building at the Port of Savannah. He had been dismissed early from his assignment on Sept. 11, 2020, and admitted calling in a bomb threat in hopes that the rest of the workers in his carpool also would be dismissed so he wouldn’t have to wait for his ride home to Vidalia.
“Hoax threats waste limited law enforcement resources, cost taxpayers’ money, and cause emotional distress to all involved,” said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will not tolerate hoax threats and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prosecute anyone who engages in this unlawful behavior.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, Georgia Ports Authority Police, and the Vidalia Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer G. Solari and Joshua S. Bearden.